Fishing at Lamberton Reservoir, Elmore County, Idaho

• Overview

  Look for Lamberton Reservoir in the Elmore County part of Idaho. It sits at 3,652 feet above sea level. It covers about 3 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Elmore County standards. Start from Mountain Home, 7 miles down the road. Further out sit Glenns Ferry (22 miles) and Boise (43 miles). No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lamberton Reservoir

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Fish documented in Elmore County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and Arctic grayling. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Lamberton Reservoir responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 71°F and January near 28°F. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Lamberton Reservoir fishes to that pattern most years. The first warm week of the year changes everything here.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. John Hoffman Reservoir sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Lamberton Reservoir in what we hold.